DA: The Awakening - Q and A with Bioware's Victor Wachter

Bioware's Victor Wachter has posted a Q and A thread on the social forums answering some of the questions about Awakening. Here's a snip:

Should I gear up in standard Origins gear before loading my save game into Awakenings?

It's a good idea to wear your best gear going into Awakenings but we said above, don't expect to be wearing it for too long. The challenges in Awakening are greater, but so are the rewards. There are lot of very nice upgrades to be found in stores, the fresh corpses of fallen foes, and sometimes with the help of a rogue's lockpicking skills.

More information.

Hmmm, STANDARD Origins gear. It sounds like their own DLC gear isn't going to make it over so I'm guessing player-made gear is even less likely to stick with the expansion. Oh well, as long as I get to keep my hair.

Self made gear will import over, while DLC gear will not. The developers stated that this is because DLC gear will be outdated and replaced shorty after you've started playing the expansion by better gear.

A load of hogwash if you ask me, but there you have it.

There are lot of very nice upgrades to be found in stores, the fresh corpses of fallen foes, and sometimes with the help of a rogue's lockpicking skills.

Hmm … I wonder if that means when you lockpick you get "Fancy Blank Vellum" instead of just "Blank Vellum"?

Seriously … has anyone really found anything good from lockpicking? It would be a nice change if they put something of worth in the locked chests for a change.

EDIT: Nevermind, removed. Redundant.

Originally Posted by wolfgrimdark
Seriously … has anyone really found anything good from lockpicking?

Yup, I've found Arl Eamon's shield in Redcliffe Castle which is actually better than the one he gives when you save his life. Not to mention you can get it a lot sooner. Been using it up until Alistair abandoned me.

Aye, there's also a great treasure in the castle in Denerim (the castle Arl Howe currently occupies).